"FUCHU PRISON, near Tokyo is home to 2500 of Japan's most hardened criminals. At Fuchu, Arnett lived in a 9-by-5-foot cell furnished with a hard, narrow bed, a sink that also was his desk and a toilet that he could flush only when permitted by the guards. His mail was censored, and he was not allowed writing materials. The books he read were the few approved by his guards. Gifts from home were kept from him until his release. Despite his diabetes, Arnett's diet was dominated by seaweed, fish and rice. He lost 55 pounds in 18 months. Fourteen of those months were spent in solitary, in a room where a camera recorded his every move. His scalp was shaved every two weeks. He was forbidden to look out the window or to communicate with other inmates. He worked eight hours a day, even in solitary, making paper bags in his cell. He could not touch his bunk during the day, but when the lights went out at night, if he was not lying down, he was punished. On his release, due to improper treatment of his diabetes, an doctor called him "a walking dead man.""

Why? Is going to jail supposed to be a pleasant experience? Reguardless of which country, shouldn't prisoners hate being there? Call me crazy, but I thought misery was the point of being incarcerated.The point of incarceration is rehabilitation. It's good for it to be unpleasant. It's bad for it to be concentration-camp-level unpleasant.

Everytime I think of Japanese prison, I think of that magnificant movie, "The Story of Ricky", truly badfilm taken to the level of unforgettable.

For those who have never seen this masterpiece, it had the segment where the great big guy pops a little guy's head like an egg--by clapping his hands together. It was used on the original Craig Kilborn "The Daily Show".

Disciplined:.04 seems really low. Crime really must not be a problem there.

Actually, no. Japan just has a weird way of dealing with crime:

If you get arrested, the first thing you do is *apologize*. You don't ask for a lawyer or plead your innocense;.you apologize your ass off. If no one died due to your crime, you'll get off with a hefty fine after you plead guilty and apologize a few more times.

Even if you really *aren't* guilty, this is still the best way to proceed, because of this fact: Of all cases that go to court, about 99% of defendents are found guilty and sent to prison. And very few Japanese try to escape from prison: where would they go? Only foreign prisoners really try to escape, but those attempts are rare.

That being said, I visited a minimum security prison (in Shiga Prefecture), and it was pretty darn nice. They were having their annual Sports Day while we were there, and it was interesting seeing all the inmates in the sports arena with only a few guards with no guns. The inmates all do productive work during the day and get more and more privileges as they complete their sentence. Ideally, you go from sleeping with 3 or 4 roommates to having your own room, reading more books, and even working outside the prison during the day. The idea is that by the time you get out of prison you have been integrated back into culture somewhat.

Of course, if you are a serial killer or a repeat offender, your experience will be very, very different.

What about that classic look of broad black & white chalk stripe ensembles. It's been a favorite of chain gangs here in the states for years and has never gone out of style...it's a look that stands out and really makes a statement.

Of course, there was a mild fashion coup attmepted about two or three years ago, where the inmate trustees of one country lockup (down in Alabama, I believe) threw hissy fits, claiming embarassment and that their outfits made them look like "the Hamburglar"!

They should improve morale by having them run around naked. Thems must be Turrists, anyways. You know, them brown-skinned people all do Turr. 9-11. Everyone accused is guilty, so they should be tortured.